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Dana Altman provides injury updates on Oregon's N'Faly Dante, Jackson Shelstad

Jarrid Denneyby: Jarrid Denney11/10/23jarrid_denney
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© Chris Coduto-USA TODAY Sports

The Oregon men’s basketball team will be without one of the top players from its 2023 signing class when the Ducks take the floor for their home opener.

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, head coach Dana Altman said freshman point guard Jackson Shelstad will not be available for Oregon’s showdown with Montana at Matthew Knight Arena Friday at 6 p.m. PT (Pac-12 Networks). Shelstad is dealing with a knee injury. He did not play in the Ducks’ season-opening win over Georgia in Las Vegas on Monday.

“He’s still out,” Altman said. “I’m not sure exactly what the timetable is on that. But he definitely will not play tomorrow.”

Altman said the Oregon staff is optimistic that Sheldstad’s absence will be a short one, and that he will make his season debut sooner rather than later.

“The doctors and the trainers will be very conservative in letting him know when he’s ready to go,” Altman said. “It will be at least another week.”

A 4-star signee in the 2023 class, Sheldstad was the No. 26 overall prospect in the nation according to the On3 Industry Ranking. The former West Linn (Ore.) standout is one of the top prospects to come out of the state of Oregon in recent memory.

The Ducks will also be without 4-star signee Mookie Cook, who underwent ankle surgery last month for an injury he suffered back in April. At Oregon’s media day last week, Altman said Cook is expected to be out until late December.

The Ducks’ all-conference center, N’Faly Dante, will likely be a game-time decision on Friday.

Dante was hindered by a knee injury during the preseason and did not practice during the weeks leading up to Monday’s season opener. Against the Bulldogs, he led the Ducks with 16 points and a career-high 21 rebounds in 27 minutes.

On Monday’s pregame radio show, Altman noted that Dante would be limited to 10-15 minutes during the Georgia game.

“I said we were gonna play him 10-15 (minutes), but all along 20-25 was the max,” Altman said on Thursday. “I went over that a couple of minutes. He’s a little sore; I don’t know if you remember, but he took a fall in the first half, kind of an awkward fall, and tweaked his hammy a little bit. So, I think he’s okay. But he didn’t practice yesterday and moved around a little bit today. So, we’ll see how he feels tomrorow.”

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